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The Copper Bullets will make their 18th appearance in the competition
Zambia’s Chipolopolo secured their place in the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cote d'Ivoire, stunning the already qualified hosts with a resounding 3-0 victory on Saturday at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.
Patson Daka and Kings Kangwa were the heroes for Chipolopolo, as their second-half goals complemented a Serge Aurier own goal in the first half.
The win catapulted Zambia to the top of Group H with 12 points, two ahead of Cote d'Ivoire, rendering Comoros’ 1-0 victory over Lesotho in the other group encounter cosmetic.
Bolstered by a raucous full-capacity crowd in Ndola, Zambia started the match with a flurry of chances, spearheaded by the dynamic duo of Daka and Fashion Sakala.
Their efforts were rewarded in the 30th minute when Serge Aurier inadvertently scored an own goal while under pressure from Daka.
The Zambians wasted no time in the second half, doubling their lead just two minutes after the restart, Daka showcasing his clinical finishing skills, finding the back of the net with a composed strike.
The Ivorians' hopes were further dashed in the 54th minute when Kangwa secured the third goal, sealing Zambia's emphatic victory and their place in the AFCON tournament.
Although Cote d'Ivoire made a late push in the final 20 minutes, with Ibrahim Sangare and substitute Max Gradel coming close, they were unable to salvage a result.
In a parallel Group E match held in Douala, Angola kept their AFCON hopes alive with a hard-fought 2-1 triumph over the Central African Republic (CAR).
Gaspar Kialonga opened the scoring for Angola in the 12th minute, only for CAR's Geoffrey Kondogbia to equalize early in the second half.
The game took a dramatic turn when CAR goalkeeper Dominique Junior Youfeigane was sent off in the 70th minute.
In the dying moments of the match, Angola's Felicio Mendes 'Milson' Joao struck the decisive blow from a corner, leaving the CAR heartbroken.
Angola's victory propelled them to second place in Group E with eight points, one ahead of the Central African Republic.
With destiny in their own hands, Angola needs a victory against bottom-placed Madagascar in their final group match to secure qualification.
Meanwhile, CAR faces a daunting task of defeating Ghana and hoping for an Angolan defeat to keep their AFCON dreams alive.
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